


Now I'm Covered In The Colors

by bloobeary



Category: One Direction
Genre: Dogs, M/M, and also fluff but that's a given, and baby babies, baby dogs, dogs and babies, literally all i have to say about this is dogs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-28
Updated: 2015-06-28
Packaged: 2018-04-06 12:06:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,940
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4221138
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bloobeary/pseuds/bloobeary
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A dog is the only thing that loves you more than it loves itself. </p><p>Or, Louis needs a dog sitter, and Harry's free.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Now I'm Covered In The Colors

"Wait, you mean I missed his first steps?" Louis groans into his phone and throws a hand over his eyes. He doesn't move the rest of his body for fear of disturbing the overtired puppy asleep with her head on his tummy. 

"I'm sure Doris won't be too far behind, so--"

"I'm going. Like I'm leaving right now. I've already missed their first words, I'm not about to miss this too." Louis says decisively and holds the phone between his shoulder and his cheek before sitting up gently. He holds his breath as the pup's nose wrinkles when he moves her gently, and he thinks he's in the clear, but then her eyes fly open, and Louis sighs. 

"Sorry, Rosie." Louis mumbles, smoothing his hand over her snout and up to behind her ears, giving them a soft scratch before getting up. He says goodbye to his mum before hanging up and walking to his room to pack quickly. He hears the tags on Rosie's collar clink together as she trots after him. She sits on his bed with her head on her paws, watching as he flits around the room, tossing socks and whatever else into his black duffel. 

It doesn't hit him that he has to find someone to watch his baby until he's at the door, and she's biting at the hem of his jeans, catching more of his ankles than denim. "Shit," He curses, and fires off a text in his group message with Niall and Liam asking if either of them can watch her for a few days. It's not like they're his only friends, it's just that he doesn't trust anyone else with Rosie. Also, Rosie absolutely adores Niall, so there's that. (Louis' a little whipped and by a dog, no less) 

It takes seven minutes for both answers to come up negatory, and Louis wants to scream. He knows he can't take her to his mum's house, not with two babies learning how to walk. Rosie's not a bad dog, she's just a puppy, still enthusiastic and jumpy. He shudders at the thought of leaving her in a kennel full of unknown people and other dogs. No, he won't do that, he can't do that. 

Louis sighs and drops into a crouch, clicking his tongue softly. Rosie wags her tail and pads up to between his legs, placing her snout on the inside of Louis' thigh and licking his hand a few times. "What are we going to do now, beb?" Louis mutters, petting her sides and folding her ear back the right way. 

He sits for a little, falling back on his heels and letting Rosie chew on his shoelace until he hears barking from the flat next to his. Of course. He's met his neighbor before, a nice brunette with a soft smile and a german shepherd, as he was walking out of his flat with Rosie and she was walking into hers. 

Louis feels a little nervous when he's knocking on his neighbor's door, black duffel over one shoulder, a red drawstring on his other. Rosie's sitting by his feet, her tail thumping on the carpet. The first thing Louis hears is barking, and then a sharp 'hush!' before it goes silent, and the door opens. And oh, this is definitely not the neighbor he met. This neighbor is substantially more beautiful given the fact that he's, well, a he.

"Uh," Louis starts, finding it a bit hard to make words while staring up into deep green eyes. "Is Gemma home?" 

The guy in the doorway blinks at Louis and smiles a little. "She's my sister. We don't live together." He says, and Louis feels really stupid for a second, but then the boy crouches down with his curls falling over his face and holds his hand out to Rosie for her to sniff. She does so tentatively before licking his knuckles and pressing her head into his palm. 

"Well, it seems she likes you." Louis says, smiling at the sight. Cute boy and a cute dog, nice. 

"Is there a reason why you have your dog in front of my flat?" The boy asks, looking up at Louis before running a hand through his hair in an attempt to tame it. It shouldn't look as good as it does, but.

"Yeah, uh I know we've never actually met before but like, I know you have a dog and I--something came up and I was wondering if you could watch her for a few days?" Louis says, entirely too quickly. The boy whose name he's yet to learn blinks up at Louis, and Louis feels his heart rate pick up. "Please." He adds softly, desperately. 

The boy just stands up and wipes his hand on his leg, leaving a few blonde hairs on his black jeans, before whistling quietly. The german shepherd Louis' seen before comes bounding up to the door, tail wagging, tongue lolling out of its mouth as it presses against its owner's leg. Rosie barks at it playfully and gets on her clumsily all too big paws to greet the bigger dog properly. 

"This is Ariel." The boy says, gesturing at the where the two are sniffing at each other, a shock of deep browns and gold. "I'd love to watch Rosie." 

"Thank you so much," Louis breathes, hitching the drawstring off his shoulder and pushing it into the boys' chest. "I'm Louis, by the way." He says, remembering that introductions never actually happened. 

He smiles, "Harry." 

Louis grins and pulls out his phone with shaky hands. "Put in your number? Just in case." Louis says, handing it to Harry. He takes it, the phone fitting nicely in his hand, in contrast to how it dwarf's Louis'. It only makes him frown a little bit. His frown gets replaced by a smile all too big for the situation as Harry lifts his phone up and sticks his tongue out before snapping a picture and handing it back to Louis.

"So you remember what I look like while you're away." Harry says, giving Louis a stupidly dimpled smile.

Louis just balls his hand into a fist to resist poking into one of his dimples. He rolls his eyes, crouching down to say goodbye to his puppy. Rosie licks at Louis' chin a few times before settling with her head against his chest. "Alright sweet heart, you're gonna stay with Harry and Ariel for a few days okay? Daddy's gotta go watch his baby sister walk for the first time." Louis coos softly, rubbing his fingers into Rosie's soft fur before kissing her forehead. "Be good for Harry." He says, giving her a squeeze and standing up somewhat reluctantly.

Harry's leaning against his doorframe, smiling at the scene with one hand tucked into his side, and the other patting Ariel's head. "We'll be good." Harry says, and Louis nods.

"Um, there's food in the bag along with a blanket and some toys. And one of my shirts, just in case she gets whiny, you know, she's still a baby so--" Louis' rambling, he knows.

"I got it." Harry says, smiling and putting a hand on Louis' shoulder. His thumb is pressing into the dip of Louis' collarbone, shown by the scoop of his shirt, and Louis does NOT feel it go numb.

"Thank you," Louis breathes, giving Harry one last smile and Rosie one last scratch behind the ears before taking a deep breath and walking away. He can hear Rosie bark, but he doesn't turn around, because he knows if he does, he'll never end up leaving. And time is of the essence, given that baby feet play into the equation. 

-

Louis' tried and his eyes itch from staring at the road for so long by the time he gets to sleep. There's a message from Harry on his phone, which he opens with a smile that only grows when he sees the picture of Rosie with her head on Harry's arm. Louis can see unmistakable petals inked onto his skin, right under Rosie's snout, and it makes his heart do a little flip. 'think she knows?' is the caption to it, and all Louis can do it say 'kiss her for me' before putting his phone facedown on the night stand and going to shower.

He wakes up the next morning to the missed clamor of voices from downstairs, and no puppy paws all over him; bittersweet, really. His phone buzzes as he's going to grab it, and he can't help but smile at who the text is from without even opening it. It's dumb that he's already so endeared with someone he's only just met, but whatever, the man is good with dogs.

It's a picture of Harry's torso, clothed unfortunately, with Rosie halfway on his chest and halfway on the bed, Ariel sleeping curled around his left foot. Louis stares at it for about five minutes before saving it to his camera roll. 'is that my shirt' Louis asks, and holds his breath until 'she couldn't sleep with it just on the bed so i had to improvise' makes his phone vibrate. Louis just smiles harder and tells Harry to tell Rosie he loves her for him before going to join his army of a family in the kitchen.

Two days of Harry sending Louis adorable pictures of their dogs playing and even napping together without Doris so much as taking a step pass. It's a little frustrating, since Louis has't been away from Rosie since he found her, but it's alright. Baby feet make up for it, baby feet he makes no hesitation in kissing whenever he has the chance. He even got Ernest pointing at him while giggling out a babbled 'Ooey!' on video, so he's alright.

Louis' sitting on the couch opposite Fizzy when Harry calls him. "Hello?" Louis says, a bit nervously.

"Hey," Harry says calmly, and Louis furrows his eyebrows.

"Is something wrong?"

"No, I just, uh. Thought that--well, hearing your voice would be good? I think, you know, for Rosie." Harry stutters, and Louis feels himself blush a little. "You're on speaker, so."

"Yeah, great idea Haz." Louis says, still smiling. He hears Rosie bark in the background and smiles wider. "Hi love! I miss ya," Louis says, and he feels a little dumb for becoming the stereotypical dog owner that personifies their animal, but not too much.

There's snuffling against the receiver before a sharp bark and a huffy whine. "Is she being good?" Louis asks, and it takes Harry a second to answer.

"Yeah! She's great." Harry coughs a little, and Louis imagines he's running his hand through his hair again. "She still gets a little mopey around night time, so I've kind of had to take to wearing your shirt." Harry says it softly, and Louis feels his toes go numb.

"Yeah," Louis breathes, and then there's only static. Louis can feel the tension between them, if it's even possible over the phone. Whatever, it's there.

"So, I've been providing you with cute puppy pictures, I think it's only fair that I get some cute baby ones back." Harry says, finally, and Louis laughs.

"Alright, weirdo." Louis says, even though he doesn't find it weird at all. It's kind of cute. Really cute. "I'll send 'em later."

It's almost as if he can hear Harry smiling through the phone. "Anyway, I'm about to take the girls on a walk so, talk later?" Harry says, his voice closer now. Louis assumes he's off speaker.

"Yeah definitely." Louis breathes and looks up to find Fizzy smiling coyly at him. He just sticks his tongue out at her. "Text me, yeah?" Louis says, taking in a hopeful breath until he hears Harry mumble and 'of course' before ending the call.

"You and your dog, I swear, Lou." Fizzy mutters, shaking her head a little before flipping through some pages in the magazine she's been reading. Louis just pokes her in the side with his foot.

"She's special, okay." Louis says quietly, and Fizzy looks at him for a few seconds before putting the magazine aside and moving closer to wrap her arms around his shoulders, more on his lap than not. Louis smiles and hugs her tighter, letting himself soak in what it feels like to be close to someone for a little. "You know you're getting too big for this." Louis says jokingly, pinching her waist enough to make her jerk up.

"Mum told you to stop doing that!" She whines before shoving two fingers into the crook of Louis' neck. That makes him flinch away from her, much like a turtle, and push her off.

"Enough!" He says, trying in vain to get her to stop touching his neck. It doesn't take long for Daisy and Phoebe to take part in the tickle fight, and by then, Louis is crying and begging for mercy. "P-lease, stop, ow! I c-can't--" Louis pants out, batting at his sisters' hands as they near him.

"Alright girls, let your brother breathe." Jay says, entering the room like a saving grace. There are several whines of protest, but they let up. Daisy stays on Louis' thighs, and he's alright with that.

"I come home and this is what I get. What a sham. I demand a refund." Louis mock complains once he's regained his breath. Jay just crosses her arms at him, a smile fighting to get on her lips.

"When are you gonna bring Rosie?" Phoebe asks, poking at Louis' arm, right on one of the blanks of the tic-tac-toe.

Louis sighs and runs a hand over his face. "When she's calm enough to not knock you over, silly one." Louis says, pinching her cheek softly.

"Supper's ready when you lot are." Jay says, giving them a fond smile before turning and walking back to the kitchen. Louis' sides still hurt from all the laughing and crying he's done, but fuck if he doesn't love being home.

-

They're rounding on day four when it finally happens. Harry's standing with a pocket thesaurus in one hand and a wooden spoon in the other, mixing pasta sauce while trying to find a word that accurately describes what it feels like to hear Louis laugh when his phone dings three times. (Harry's good with words, they make sense when everything else doesn't) He ignores it for a second, until it dings again, and he decides that whoever it is, it's something important. So he leaves the book face down on his counter and turns the stove on low before getting his phone.

He can't wipe the smile off his face as he watches the video Louis' sent him. It starts with Louis crouching across from who Harry assumes is his baby sister, who's standing with her tiny hands clasped around someone else's fingers. Louis keeps cooing soft things like 'come on babes' and 'just to me, darling'. Harry's hopelessly infatuated, and the video is only thirty seconds in. There's baby babble from offscreen along with a girl laughing, and whosever filming too. Louis shuffles closer and holds his hands out to the baby, and everything seems to go still as she contemplates. It takes ten more seconds for her to take a step, still attached to the omnipresent fingers, and five more for her to let go and walk shakily over to where Louis is. There's cheering, and Harry feels himself put a hand over his mouth to try and hide his smile even though he's alone, and then the baby is in Louis' arms, and the angle is up close of him kissing her cheeks, and Harry is definitely in love.

Harry saves the video before answering entirely in emojis and exclamation points before putting his phone down and checking on his spaghetti. Ariel is curled in her bed with her head on her paws, watching as Harry hums to himself, and Rosie is curled into Ariel's stomach, chewing on a milkbone. Harry could live like this, he thinks, but with Louis added to the picture.

"Iridescence," He says out loud. That's what it feels like when he thinks about Louis.

-

Louis knocks on Harry's door twice and waits for a while before trying the handle. He knows Harry's home, he can hear Beyonce and barking. The door opens, and Louis steps in. "Honey, I'm home." Louis says playfully, dropping his bag on the floor and shutting the door with his heel. Harry walks out of what Louis assumes is the bathroom, dressed in bright yellow swim trunks and nothing but tattoos. He's holding Rosie with one hand, pressed against his chest.

"Hey!" Harry says, smile growing on his face. "I'm trying to get this one in the tub, but." He says, and at the very mention of the word, Rosie wriggles uncontrollably. Louis feels himself smile before patting his thighs twice and whistling. Rosie loses it then, basically leaping out of Harry's arms to clatter on the floor before bounding over to Louis.

"Hello, my love." Louis giggles, gathering her in his arms, burying his nose in her fur as she yips and licks at his cheeks and nose. (Harry takes a picture, Louis doesn't notice). "I missed you, I did." Louis coos, scratching at her ears before grabbing her snout and kissing her with a loud smack. "I can help you with the B-A-T-H." Louis spells out, and Harry nods before cocking his head at the door he came out of.

Louis' jeans are soaked through by the time they're done with, and his shirt has long since been discarded. He understands why Harry was in the trunks now. Louis grabs Rosie and clips her leash on, for the sake of convenience before grabbing his keys.

"Oh, you're going?" Harry says, looking up from where he's towel drying Ariel.

"Uh, yeah. Wet jeans aren't my thing believe it or not." Louis chuckles, gesturing at his legs. If Harry's eyes stay a little too long, that's okay. Louis' spent a lot of time sneaking looks at Harry's nipples, so they're even, technically.

Harry just nods and stands up, tossing the towel over the back of the couch. "Stay," He instructs, and Ariel, wiggles a little as Harry walks away, but she stays.

"Thank you again, for watching my baby." Louis says, looking down at where Rosie is licking at his toes, and then up at Harry.

"Don't mention it." He says with a smile.

"How will I ever make it up to you?" Louis chuckles only half-jokingly, and it's his turn to run his fingers through his hair.

Harry grins and tucks his hands into his sides before shrugging. "You could take me to dinner?"

The question hangs for a second. "Yeah," Louis whispers before clearing his throat. "Yeah. Yes. I can do that." Louis says, nodding vigorously.

"Tomorrow at seven?" Harry asks again, and Louis nods.

"I'll pick you up." Louis says with a wink, and the best thing that could possibly happen to the world happens: Harry blushes. Louis leaves with a squeeze on Harry's bicep (nice) and a whole lot of nervous excitement.

-

They're both pleasantly full of seafood, and Louis' fingertips are buzzing slightly from the wine he had with dinner as they walk to their building. "Can I ask you something?" Harry asks quietly, and Louis answers by bumping their shoulders softly. Harry looks over at Louis, biting his lip thoughtfully. "Why does Rosie mean so much to you?"

Louis takes a deep breath and gestures at the bench a few ways away. "Let's sit." Harry hesitates before nodding, and they go over to it. Once there, Louis inhales nervously before talking. "'Bout a year ago, my uh, boyfriend kind of just. Walked out on me, I guess you could say." Louis starts, and he feels Harry slip his fingers between his. "It was really rough, like really rough for a really long time. I kind of cut everyone off and just kept to myself and like, moped around. Shit, I still wore the few shirts of his I had left." Louis laughs, shaking his head at his past pathetic self. "But a few months after, maybe three or four, I was walking back to my flat from the corner store with a pack and some ice cream when I heard this pup crying in a box down an alley."

"Oh," Harry says softly, and Louis just shakes his head and squeezes his fingers.

"I guess I felt like I could relate to the abandonment. So I took her home, and eventually had to move because my landlord didn't like dogs, so. We kind of saved each other, you could say." Louis says finally, looking over at Harry.

He doesn't say anything, he just uses his free hand to grab the back of Louis' neck and kiss him softly. And Louis is thankful for it.

-Two years later-

Louis wakes up to the sound of two very excited dogs barking, and something wet on his neck. "Harry," Louis groans, pushing him away only halfheartedly. "Stop slobbering on me," Louis grumbles and rolls over onto his side. Harry just kisses his forehead.

"I go out on a run and come back, even take a shower, successfully not waking you up with the dogs until now, and this is what I get in return?" Harry scoffs, and Louis opens one eye. Harry's chest is inches away from his face as he's leaning up on his elbow, so Louis doesn't complain too much. The hickey he left the night before is turning a darker purple right under one of the sparrow's tails.

"Might as well have three dogs, what with you not knowing how to keep your tongue in your mouth." Louis mumbles before pushing Harry onto his back and cuddling into his warm chest. Louis loves how Harry's skin feels after a shower, soft and warm and new. He even still smells like the citrus body wash he uses that Louis claims not to like but steals all the time, anyways.

"You weren't complaining about that last night." Harry says smugly, and Louis just pinches his side. Harry chuckles out an 'ow' before putting his hand on Louis' back right between his shoulder blades.

"Where are my babies?" Louis asks, finally lifting his head to whistle twice. It takes all of two seconds for the dogs to be up on the bed, licking at Louis' face. "Hello my loves," Louis laughs, turning away from Harry to ruffle at Ariel's fur and rub Rosie's ears, grabbing her scruff to kiss her head.

"What has it come to, my fiance kisses our dog, but not me." Harry says dramatically, and Louis rolls his eyes before turning over again, so his chin is on Harry's chest.

"Stop your complaining." Louis says, biting at Harry's collarbone gently before propping himself up on his elbow to give him a kiss. "And you know I only said yes because you promised me another puppy after the honeymoon." Louis says, pinching Harry's cheek.

"Shut up," Harry mumbles, sliding a hand into Louis' still mussed hair to kiss him again. "Only asked cause you promised me a baby."

"Promised more than one baby, Harold my dear." Louis says, running his thumb over Harry's jaw. Rosie whines through her nose as if she knows what's being said and crawls her way up to the tiny about of space between the two, setting hear head on Louis' hip. Ariel's tail thumps against the bed happily, and Harry's glad that what he thought two years ago was right.

**Author's Note:**

> dogs make me happy and i wrote this while feeling not so much that so
> 
> Title is from Colors//Halsey


End file.
